Spring stake season kicking off at Fraser Downs

The spring harness racing stake season starts at Fraser Downs on Friday night (April 7th).

The eliminations for the 3 & 4 Year-Old Colt & Gelding N/W B.C. Bred stake kick off the card, and each goes for a purse of $8,000. Three-year-old colts or geldings that are non-winners of $30,000 lifetime as of December 31st, 2022, are eligible. So are four-year-old colts or geldings that are non-winners of $20,000 lifetime as of December 31st, 2022.

Race 1: 3&4 Year Old Colt & Gelding N/W B.C. Bred Stake Eliminations (1st Division) 

The morning line favourite sitting at 8-5 odds, heading into the 1st division elimination, is Shake Shadow N Rol (Shadow Play). The four-year-old gelding draws the inside post position and will likely use that to his advantage. Shake Shadow N Rol will be making his 10th appearance in 2023 and will have John Abbott in the sulky. Shake Shadow N Rol has already visited the winner’s circle four times this year.

Came A Cavalier (Domitian Hanover) is another one to look out for in the first elimination. Kelly Hoerdt trains and will have driving duties of the four-year-old gelding. Came A Cavalier has also won four times in 2023 and is looking to strike in this one. He was scratched the last time he was supposed to race and now has gotten an extra week off to rest.

In the first race, the three-year-old gelding Rum N Raisins (Custard The Dragon) rounds out the top three horses to watch out for. He had a rough 2022 season but has had a better start to 2023. Rum N Raisins earned his first-lifetime win on March 17th and paced to a solid time of 1:55.4.

Race 2: 3&4 Year Old Colt & Gelding N/W B.C. Bred Stake Eliminations (2nd Division) 

Coming in at 2-1 morning line odds in the 2nd division elimination is Domi (Living It Up). He has earned the morning line favourite status title by having five starts this year, and all five finishes have been in the top three. Domi comes into Friday night’s card with three straight wins and will have Brandon Campbell in the bike. Campbell has been hot to start the new year and has 86 wins as a driver.

Mylittle Gingerman (Bettarthancheddar) received 3-1 morning line odds despite not racing his best lately. He gets some respect because his lifetime mark of 1:55.0 is the fastest in the field. Mylittle Gingerman earned his lifetime mark in mid-February but has been unable to replicate that performance. He’s had to qualify twice since his last win because he has lost by distance several times.

Strange World (Custard The Dragon) won his first race last week and now will look to make it two in a row. Scott Knight has the driving duties of the three-year-old and will be looking to earn his 25th driving win of the year.

Race 3: Open Handicap 

Outlaw C My Shadow (Shadow Play) is looking for a 10th straight win and has Brandon Campbell as his partner in crime for Friday night’s Open. The duo was assigned the outside post position, but that has never been a problem for them so far. One big obstacle for Outlaw C My Shadow is Itll Be Fine (Hes Watching). He moved up in class at his last start and finished second. Before that, Itll Be Fine won back-to-back races, ironically enough, with Campbell at the helm. This time Kelly Hoerdt will have driving duties and will surely make the morning line favourite work for it.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Trey Colbeck, for Harnesslink